Madurai: The CPM has extended full support to the policy shift of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, including the promotion of private capital investment. The justification is that this shift should not be viewed as a deviation from decentralised development ideals.

With the CPM Party congress formally endorsing the change, the Kerala unit's departure from the traditional leftist stance on private capital now has official recognition from the CPM. A resolution calling for the propagation of Kerala's democratic achievements and mobilisation in support of the Left government was also adopted at the forum. The resolution was presented by politburo member Mohammad Salim, who is also the West Bengal state secretary. Jitendra Chaudhury, Tripura state secretary and central committee member, backed it.

Meanwhile, there was criticism against the policy welcoming foreign universities. However, Kerala representatives who took part in the discussion clarified that the state government's policy approach is different. At a media conference, politburo member Salim emphasised that Kerala’s policy shift does not amount to privatisation.

Privatisation, he said, refers to the central government’s approach of selling off profitable public sector undertakings. No such restructuring is taking place in Kerala. Instead, what Kerala is witnessing is a ‘creative application of left policies’ in view of economic challenges and ground realities, Salim explained.

Resolution hails Kerala government's critical interventions
The resolution notes that the Left government in Kerala has undertaken crucial interventions to overcome issues that otherwise pose major hurdles to timely reforms based on scientific and technological progress. Key measures include: making Kerala an investment-friendly state, creating a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for mobilising off-budget resources to address infrastructural deficits, reforming the higher education sector, and launching a campaign programme to impart skills to students and unemployed youth.

What resolution says?
The Left government continues its fight against all forms of caste and gender discrimination, and for the protection of secular and scientific values. It is for this reason that the BJP-NDA government at the Centre is trying to obstruct the Kerala government. The resolution asserts that the Centre’s approach is to squeeze the state’s financial sustainability, and that Kerala’s government must be defended against this.